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+--- Thread: Grendel case neck splits - solved (/showthread.php?tid=25911)
Grendel case neck splits - solved - 603Country - 09-15-2023
A while back, I was griping about short case life (2 uses) in the Grendel. After consulting with you fellows, I bought some Redding FL Bushing Dies and several sizes of bushings. The plan was to select some new cases (Starline and Lapua) and load, shoot, and reload and shoot till the cases had split necks. The Bushing Die, and thereby working the brass much less, has solved the problem. After 4 uses of the brass with no splits, I decided to quit wasting powder, primers and bullets. No worries about the barrel now either. And I should mention that I was also bumping the shoulder too much, so I adjusted for that
I used a 0.287 bushing and no expander ball.
This was a good learning experience. Even old guys like me, with 40+ years of reloading, can learn new stuff. And, Im going back to a bushing die for my 223.
The Lapua brass, with its thicker case neck walls, will need one size bigger in the bushing when I start using that brass.
Thanks for all the helpful suggestions.
Grendel case neck splits - solved - LR1955 - 09-15-2023
603Country Wrote:A while back, I was griping about short case life (2 uses) in the Grendel. After consulting with you fellows, I bought some Redding FL Bushing Dies and several sizes of bushings. The plan was to select some new cases (Starline and Lapua) and load, shoot, and reload and shoot till the cases had split necks. The Bushing Die, and thereby working the brass much less, has solved the problem. After 4 uses of the brass with no splits, I decided to quit wasting powder, primers and bullets. No worries about the barrel now either. And I should mention that I was also bumping the shoulder too much, so I adjusted for that
I used a 0.287 bushing and no expander ball.
This was a good learning experience. Even old guys like me, with 40+ years of reloading, can learn new stuff. And, Im going back to a bushing die for my 223.
The Lapua brass, with its thicker case neck walls, will need one size bigger in the bushing when I start using that brass.
Thanks for all the helpful suggestions.
603-C:
You jogged my memory here. We would buy a .286, .287, and .288 bushing to start with. The .286 was decent for the PPU brass of the time which was thin, .287 for the Lapua, and .288 for the 7.62 X 39 brass we used to neck down and blow out to make Grendel brass.
Can't remember the brand of dies you were using that caused the neck cracking problems. Normally it was the Lee sizing die that caused the majority of brass problems but yours was of another make.
You are set up now.
LR-55
Grendel case neck splits - solved - 603Country - 09-15-2023
Those are the bushings I have. The old die was a Redding FL die, non-bushing.
Grendel case neck splits - solved - Fess - 09-15-2023
I have a vague recollection of some issues very early on in the Grendel's life with the junction from the neck to the shoulder. The Grendel uses a much tighter radius than typical (about half that of the 6.5x55, for example) and some people had chambering issues. Has this become a non issue with modern neck bushings? I have never dealt with them, so I don't know if 6.5mm neck bushings are generic or ground specifically for a particular cartridge design.
Thanks
Grendel case neck splits - solved - Klem - 09-15-2023
Fess,
Neck bushings are screwed into the die and float. You decide how much of the neck it squeezes. In the photo (6.5x47) the bushing has been screwed in about 3/4 of the neck length only, so the junction is untouched. This is for shooters who want to keep as much fire forming from the previous shot as possible.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]19928[/ATTACH]
Works for precision bolt guns but a semi-auto needs a lot of grip.
Grendel case neck splits - solved - 603Country - 09-15-2023
As I said, regarding the case necks, everything worked out quite well today. Then, to check the sights on the rifle with the rounds I already had on hand, which were reloads from a month or so ago, I put a few rounds into a tight little group, dead center pretty much in the bullseye, at 100 yards. Tomorrow Ill load up some rounds with the new die, new shoulder bump, and new neck sizing, and I sure hope they are as accurate as the previous bad resized rounds.
The bushing die sizes about 75% of the length of the neck. Rounds cycle very well. All appears good.